I
don’t know if you have looked at the calendar lately but Christmas is less than
a week away. If you have not bought anything for the fly fisher in your family,
it is time to get started. There are a bunch of anglers in my family and I have
been doing quite a bit of shopping. Based on all of the shopping that I have
been doing, here are a few suggestions.
The
first thing that comes to mind is a Yeti cooler. These coolers have taken the
sporting world by storm. They are highly prized by guides and serious anglers
everywhere for their ability to hold ice for two days and legendary
indestructibility. They are certified bear proof containers, if you are headed
to Yellowstone or Alaska. On the down side, they are pretty heavy and are
expensive. I use the Roadie model, which at a twenty quart capacity, is the
smallest one made and weighs fourteen pounds empty. It cost $249.95. I have
been using mine for a couple of years and I would not use anything else.
If
anyone you buy gifts for needs a new pair of wading boots, I would suggest a
pair of Orvis Pivot wading boots. I should point out that they only come with
felt soles. The state of Missouri has outlawed felt soles (because of Didymo),
if you want to wear your wading boots there, you should by something else.
These boots feature a BOA lacing system which replaces conventional shoe laces
with a steel cable and a ratcheting system. They are very and quick to put on
and take off and easy to adjust during the day. My wife, Lori, and I both wear
these boots and have found them to be the most comfortable that we have ever
worn. At $179.95 a pair, they should be. We each also have a pair of rubber
soled studded boots that we wear when fishing in Missouri. These items are both
expensive but represent the best that is available to the discriminating
angler.
For
something a bit more affordable, let me suggest a Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO)
fly rod. They are a low cost alternative to the $700.00 and $800.00 rods that
have become the norm in fly fishing. Like the high dollar rods, they include a
lifetime warranty. My favorite model is the Lefty Kreh Signature Series II. At
$120.00, it is the most rod for the least money that I know of. I own no less
than four two piece five weight nine foot rods of this model. These are the
rods that I loan my clients and they suffer a lot of abuse. I generally have a
couple broken every year and I send them back to TFO with a check for $25.00
and get them back ready to fish in a few days. If my wife, Lori, and I are
fishing from a boat, canoe or kayak, this is the rod we choose for their
convenience (they are always in my Suburban), casting ease and reliability.
If
you want something even less expensive and much more personal, how about giving
a box of flies that you tied yourself? The first year that Lori and I were
together I gave her a small Wheatley fly box crammed with over a hundred flies
that I had tied myself. I give my brother in law a small fly box with some hand
tied local patterns every year. My brother, Dan, gives me a box of his turkey
tail emergers every year and I cherish them. The hard part is keeping Lori out
of them.
I
hope this helps. Merry Christmas from me, Lori and our yellow lab,
Tilley!
John
Berry is a fly fishing guide for Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has
fished our local streams for over thirty years.
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